The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for checking rod-like articles, in particular cigarettes, according to the respective preamble of the independent claims.
A process of the generic type and a corresponding apparatus are known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,138. The known process is not yet optimum because, in the case of checking formations of articles, with articles positioned incorrectly to a certain extent, e.g. skewed cigarettes, the formation was evaluated as correct overall. Furthermore, a change in the format—in the length—of the articles, up until now, required mechanical adaptation of the testing apparatus.